MILLER APPLICATION # 142

Martha Matney nee Henson

Pryor Creek, Oklahoma

Admitted. Sister to MA # 72, Lorena Rivet nee Henson. Applicant enrolled by Chapman # 1304.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs

Washington, D. C.

Sir:

I hereby make application for such share as me be due me of the fund appropriated by the Act of Congress approved June 30, 1906, in accordance with the decrees of the Court of Claims of May 18, 1905, and May 28, 1906, in favor of the Eastern Cherokees. The evidence of identity is herewith subjoined.

1. State Full Name:

English Name- Martha Matney

Indian Name- Unknown

2. Residence- Nine miles NE of Pryor Creek, Indian Territory

3.. Town and Post Office- Pryor Creek, Indian Territory

4.. County- Cherokee Nation

5.. State- Indian Territory

6.. Date and Place of Birth- November, 1845, at Madisonville, Tennessee

7.. By what right do you claim to share? If you claim through more than one relative living in 1851, set forth each claim separately:

Original Beneficiary, 1851 Roll: Peggie Henson, Grandmother; George Henson, brother; Delilah Henson, aunt; Joseph Henson, father.

8.. Are you married? YES

9.. Name and age of wife or husband- Stephen Matney, age 46

10.. Give names of your father and mother, and your mother's name before marriage-

Father- English name- Joseph Henson

Indian name- Unknown

Mother- English name- Sallie Henson

Indian name- Unknown

Maiden name- Sallie Warlick

11.. Where were they born?

Father-Dah-lon-ni-geh, Georgia

Mother- Ashville, Carolina

12.. Where did they reside in 1851, if living at that time

Both parents residing in Madisonville, Tennessee in 1851

13.. Date of death of your father and mother?

Father died January 13, 1898

Mother died 1885, July

14.. Were they ever enrolled for annuities, land, or other benefits? If so, state when and where-

My father was for the payment of 1851, Murphy, Cherokee County, Carolina, and other payments by the Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory.

15.. Name all your brothers and sisters, giving ages, and if not living, give date of death-

Leondas Henson b. Unknown d. 1884

George Mount Henson b. Unknown d. 1865

Badger Henson b. Unknown d. about 1853

Lorena Henson b. 1848 d. living

Mollie Henson b. 1845 d. 1901

16.. State English and Indian name of your grandparents on both father's and mother's side, if possible-

Father's side:

William Richard Henson, father

Peggie Henson, mother

Mother's side:

Unknown-mother

Daniel Warlick, father

17.. Where were they born? UNKNOWN

18.. Where did they reside in 1851, if living at that time?

Richard Henson and Peggie Henson, at Cherokee County, North Carolina

19.. Give names of all their children, and residence, if living; if not living, give dates of deaths

1.. English name-Rena Ruddles; Indian name-Unknown; Residence- Living in the Old Nation

2.. English name-Sally Smith; Indian name- Unknown; Residence-Dead, 1905

3.. English name- Becky Martin; Indian name- Unknown; Residence-Died about 1891

4.. English name- William Richard Henson; Indian name- Unknown; Residence-Died 1894

5.. English name-Boot Henson; Indian name- Unknown; Residence- Dead

6.. English name-Tom Henson; Indian name- Unknown; Residence-Died about the year 1895

7.. English name- Jude Henson; Indian names- Unknown; Residence- Dead, time unknown

8.. English name-Delilah Henson; Indian name-Unknown; Residence- died in 1865

9.. English name-Margaret Crowe; Indian name- ; Residence-Living at Tahlequah, Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory

3.. Have you ever been enrolled for annuities, land, or other benefits? If so, state when and where-

For the payment of 1851, and all other payments by the Cherokee Nation, up to the present time.

21. To expedite identification, claimant should give the full English and Indian names, if possible, of their paternal and maternal ancestors back to 1835.

REMARKS

(Under this head the applicant may give additional information that he believes will assist in proving his claim).

Note: Answers should be brief but explicit: the words 'yes' , 'no', and 'unknown' may be used in cases where applicable. Read the questions carefully.

I solemnly swear that the foregoing statements made by me are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signed:

Subscribed and sworn to before me this

________________________________________________________________

AFFIDAVIT

(The following affidavit must be sworn to by two or more witnesses who are well acquainted with the applicant.)

Personally appeared before me , who being duly sworn, on oath depose and say that they are well acquainted with , who makes the foregoing application and statements, and have known for years and years, respectively, and know to be the identical person represents to be, and that the statements made by are true, to the best of their knowledge and belief, and they have no interest whatever in claim.

Witnesses' Signatures:

Subscribed and sworn to before me on this

________________________________________________________________ Supplemental Application for Minor Children

Special Commissioner of the Court of Claims,

601 Ouray Building, Washington, D. C.

Sirs,

I hereby make application for such share as may be due my minor children of the fund appropriated by the Act of Congress June 30, 1906, in accordance with the decree of the Court of Claims of May 18, 1905, and May 28, 1906, if favor of the Eastern Cherokee, and I ask that this be made part of my original application

No. 142

1.. State you full name: Martha Matney

2.. Residence and post office: Pryor Creek

3.. County: Cherokee Nation

4.. State: Indian Territory

5.. Date and place of birth: Cherokee County, North Carolina 1845

6.. Are you married?

7.. Name and age of wife or husband:

8.. To what tribe of Indians, if any, does he or she belong?

9.. Names of all your children who were living on May 28, 1906:

1. Lizzie French Graham 28 years b. 1879 (MA # 24643)

2. George French 27 years b. 1880 (MA # 13343)

3. Sallie English 24 years b. 1883 (MA # 23263)

4. Joel B. French 19 years b. 1887 (MA # 142)

10.. Where they ever enrolled for money, annuities, land, or other benefits? If so state when and were and with what tribe of Indians.

Strip money and grass money, Cherokee

REMARKS

(Under this head the applicant may give any additional facts which will assist in proving his claim.)

I solemnly swear that the foregoing statements made by me are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signed: Martha Matney

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 25th day of May 1907.

J. M. Watts, Notary Public

________________________________________________________________

AFFIDAVIT

(The following affidavit must be sworn to by two or more witnesses who are well acquainted with the applicant)

Personally appeared before me who, being duly sworn, on oath depose and say that they are well acquainted with , who makes the foregoing application and statement, and have known for years and years, respectively, and know to be the identical person represents to be and that on May 28, 1906, had the children living as above set forth, and that the statements made by are true, and they have no interest whatever in claim.

Witness to Mark: Signatures of Witnesses

Subscribed and sworn to before me this

________________________________________________________________

INFORMATION FROM MILLER APPLICATION # 72-(Sister to Martha Matney nee Henson)

Miller Application # 72. Lurena Rivet Owasso, Okla.

Admitted. Applicant enrolled by Chapman # 1305. Applicant's father, Joseph Henson, enrolled by Chapman # 1302. Brother, Leonidas, George and sister, Martha, enrolled by Chapman # 1303, 1306, and 1304, respectively. (Misc. Test. P. 2669).

Misc. Test. P. 2669. App. # 326-William Catherine Betterton:

"My name is William Catherine Betterton. My number on the Dawes Commission is # 189. I was born in Flint District, and I am 26 years old. I claim my Cherokee blood through m y father, and his name was George Thomas Henson. He is dead. He has been dead about 13 or 14 years. He was about 56 years old at the time of his death. He was born in North Carolina, I think. I don't know where he was living in 1851. I made a mistake he was born in Tennessee and then moved to North Carolina., He was married in Tennessee and then went to North Carolina. I am not the oldest child. The oldest child was Alice Henson. I could not tell you how hold she is. She was 33 or 34 years old when she died. I don't know when my parents were married. Four of the children were born east. My father's father name was George. It seems to me he said his father was named George Boudinot. I never heard my grandmother's name. I never heard any other name for my grandfather. My father's youngest sister was name is Crow. I had an uncle Joseph Henson, who had a daughter named Margaret and one named Mollie. (See Chapman 1302 and 1304) I do not claim Indian Blood through my mother. All Hollins whose postoffice address is Grove, Okla. and John Chandler whose postoffice address is Fairland, Okla. knew my father well. John Chandler was my school teacher. Mrs. John Crow whose postoffice address is Tahlequah, Okla. would know about my case. George Blair # 27026 and Thomas Blair # 1050 are my cousins and claim through the same source as I do. Lizzie Blair, 5379, These people are the children of Thomas Blair, and Thomas Blair was the nephew of my father. William Littlejohn of Salisaw knew my father well. Troy Avant. See # 31186 1/2 is my deceased sister's son."

Signed: William Catherine Betterton, Grove, Okla., September 8, 1908

________________________________________________________________

Martha Matney nee Henson ¼ Cherokee

Chapman Roll # 1304-Cherokee County, NC-Murphy as Martha Henson-6 yrs.

Siler Roll # 1266 family group # 7 as Martha Henson-6 yrs.-Cherokee County, near Murphy, NC (mixed)

Dawes Roll # 23593, Census Card # 2796

a.. Transcriber notes

Transcribed by Catherine Widener, 2003